Edifying Discourses in Diverse Spirits

Edifying Discourses in Diverse Spirits

Author	Søren Kierkegaard
Original title	Opbyggelige Taler i forskjellig Aand
Working title	Upbuilding Discourses in Various Spirits
Translators	Douglas V. Steere, David F. Swenson, A.S Aldworth and W.S. Ferrie, and Howard V. Hong and Edna H. Hong
Language	Danish
Subject	Christianity
Published	March 13, 1847
Publication place	Denmark
Published in English	1938 – first translation, 1955, 1993, last translation 2009
Media type	Paperback
Pages	442
ISBN	9780691140773
Preceded by	Two Ages: A Literary Review
Followed by	Works of Love

Edifying Discourses in Diverse Spirits (Danish: Opbyggelige Taler i forskjellig Aand, also known as Upbuilding Discourses in Various Spirits) is an 1847 book by Søren Kierkegaard. Like many of his other books, this one is split into three parts. Kierkegaard had been working toward creating a place for the concepts of guilt and sin in the conscience of the single individual. He discussed the ideas generated by both Johann von Goethe and Friedrich Hegel concerning reason and nature. This book is his response to the ideas that nature and reason are perfect.

The first part of the book challenges those who say they are not guilty of anything,^[1] the second to do with the idea that nature is perfect,^[2] and the third to discuss the concept of the abstract and the concrete examples.